More NCAA regionals for the REA

[star2city]

Looks like the Kohl Center is bidding too.

Every one ready for the Frozen Four at Ford Field? Detroit, Tampa, and D.C. all winning Frozen Four bids had to be surprising.

[jimdahl]

Every one ready for the Frozen Four at Ford Field?  Detroit, Tampa, and D.C. all winning Frozen Four bids had to be surprising.

Detroit is the one that surprised me. It's going to be about the spectacle rather than the games. The NCAA will have a STRONG interest in seeing Michigan and Michigan St in that Frozen Four (the forthcoming USCHO conspiracy theory threads about regional officiating already boggle my mind).

D.C. and St. Paul seemed like safe bets for two. I had wondered if the third would be Boston or Tampa, but as D.C. is barely a non-traditional site, I guess that left the door open for Tampa. Once word hit the street that a fourth was being announced, I assumed it confirmed D.C., St. Paul, and Tampa, with the fourth to give a nod to Boston. Too bad for Philly because it's a decent site, but never stood a chance of winning the head-to-head with D.C.

[jimdahl]

No love for REA, though they only awarded Western regionals through 2009:

2008:

Midwest: Kohl Center

West: World Arena

2009:

Midwest: Van Andel

West: Mariucci

Frankly, awarding these for briefer, more impending periods allows the NCAA to keep track of how they're going at various sites (e.g. the previously untested REA) and use that in their decision. Now that there are two Western regionals every year, REA should be right in the thick of the rotation every few years if they manage to meet revenue expectations.

[Greyeagle]

Frankly, awarding these for briefer, more impending periods allows the NCAA to keep track of how they're going at various sites (e.g. the previously untested REA) and use that in their decision.  Now that there are two Western regionals every year, REA should be right in the thick of the rotation every few years if they manage to meet revenue expectations.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My thoughts exactly, Jim.

IMO the primary goal should be to keep the regionals out of Michigan.

[#1Hakfan]

How come the East and northeast regionals rotate between the same towns every year? The Albany rink is a dump.

[bigmrg74]

How come the East and northeast regionals rotate between the same towns every year?  The Albany rink is a dump.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, where else are they going to have them??

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

[redwing77]

[bigmrg74]

[Fedorov]

The Kohl Center is great for regionals ............ in basketball.

[MafiaMan]

Interesting how the NCAA loves looking at attendance figures, yet the Kohl Center gets a regional? Anybody remember 1998 at the Dane County Coliseum? Yikes.

[#1Hakfan]

I think it really SUCKS that we cant host the frozen four. Just because our arena doesn't hold over 15,000 people. That event would have a way better atmosphere and the entire city would open the door to make everyone feel at home. We have the best arena in the world and it was good enough for the world junior tournement. Our entire area is DIE hard hockey with 6 division 1 teams within 300 miles and off course we are close to Canada which is the Hockey mecca. I guess it really pisses me of when they give the event to a bunch of towns that dont even have teams. When them big cities hosts, they dont even know that there is an event going on. I hope no one gets stabbed in Detroit or Washington, 2 of the crime leading cities in the world.

[DLW4GOPHERS]

The Kohl Center is great for regionals ............ in basketball.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are they sure there won't be a girl's high school bouncyball tourney there that week-end.

[MafiaMan]

I think it really SUCKS that we cant host the frozen four.

[HockeyMom]

I'm bored. Is it October yet?

I believe the NCAA changed the number of seats required to host a Frozen Four when the REA was in the process of being built.

It's too bad that they can't just buy out the number of seats that REA is short and guarentee the revenue that way.

[MafiaMan]

I'm bored.  Is it October yet?

I believe the NCAA changed the number of seats required to host a Frozen Four when the REA was in the process of being built.

It's too bad that they can't just buy out the number of seats that REA is short and guarentee the revenue that way.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Providence held the last of the small Frozen Fours back in 2000. If memory serves me right, you're talking about the difference between 11,000 seats in Providence vs 14,500 or 15,000 elsewhere. Take those 3,000 or 4,000 seats X $150 per Frozen Four ticket package X $300 hotel room (three nights) X all the food and beverages you can consume in three days of staying in the host city and, well, you get the point...

[kfah1]

[HockeyMom]

Providence held the last of the small Frozen Fours back in 2000.  If memory serves me right, you're talking about the difference between 11,000 seats in Providence vs 14,500 or 15,000 elsewhere.  Take those 3,000 or 4,000 seats X $150 per Frozen Four ticket package X $300 hotel room (three nights) X all the food and beverages you can consume in three days of staying in the host city and, well, you get the point...

I can drink as much as three people.

[kfah1]

[bigmrg74]

[kfah1]

[#1Hakfan]

I am not saying Detroit doesn't deserve the frozen Four, but put it in the Joe not at a football field. Other people dont like this idea as well, I read that the WCHA coaches took a poll and None of them wanted to put the tourney in that type of situation.

I have been to frozen fours in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Anaheim, Buffalo, Columbus, Providence, Albany, Boston, and DETROIT. Some of them cities once you leave the arena district you dont know there is a tourney going on. Like when the Sioux womens BB team went to the elite eight every year in Pine Bluff. Milwaukee was by far the best host. Providence, Boston and St. paul were next.

Why does Omaha get the college world sereis every year when I am sure there are other places that could get bigger attendance? Grand Forks could be to the frozen Four like Omaha is to the World Series. Nothing beats small town hospitality. If you have been involved in sports and traveled with teams you know what I mean.

My main point is that we have an arena built for this. And yes it is the best arena in the world. If you go detail for detail, every NHL scout I talked to at the world juniors agreed. but that is an argument for another day.

[farce poobah]

OK then.

UND should host a regional at the Xcel Center.

[huskies679]

My main point is that we have an arena built for this.  And yes it is the best arena in the world.  If you go detail for detail, every NHL scout I talked to at the world juniors agreed. but that is an argument for another day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

UND has an world class arena. But the one thing Grand Forks has going against it is the fact that it is isolated and has a small population. With the popularity of hockey on the decline, the NCAA will want to keep the Frozen Four in large media markets.

I do believe that GF deserves a fair shot because of the arena and great hockey tradition. I do not think having a great arena and good fans is enough to land the championship. I have a hard time believing that the NCAA would award such a small media market the Frozen Four. Nothing against the city because I reall like GF.

[Sioux-cia]

With the popularity of hockey on the decline,

I sure as heck couldn't tell that the popularity of hockey was on the decline in Columbus this year. But outside the arena area, there were lots of Columbianites who did not know that there was a HUGE hockey event taking place in their city.